SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

2016 SESSION

16103463D
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 108
Offered January 18, 2016
Commending Harry Taft Rutherford, Jr.
----------

Patrons-- Chafin, Barker, Black, Carrico, Chase, Cosgrove, Dance, Deeds, DeSteph, Dunnavant, Ebbin, Edwards, Favola, Garrett, Hanger, Howell, Lewis, Locke, Lucas, Marsden, McDougle, McEachin, McPike, Miller, Newman, Norment, Obenshain, Petersen, Reeves, Ruff, Saslaw, Stanley, Stuart, Sturtevant, Suetterlein, Surovell, Vogel, Wagner and Wexton; Delegates: Kilgore, Morefield, O'Quinn and Pillion
----------

WHEREAS, Harry Taft Rutherford, Jr., an entrepreneur and visionary developer, served and strengthened the Russell County community for more than 35 years as a member and former chair of the Industrial Development Authority of Russell County; and

WHEREAS, Harry Rutherford began his career in automobile sales, becoming the youngest person appointed as a General Motors dealer in 1967; he went on to share his expertise as a past president of the Virginia Automobile Dealers Association Board of Directors and as a member of an advisory board to the Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles; and

WHEREAS, desirous to be of further service to the community, Harry Rutherford accepted an appointment to the Industrial Development Authority of Russell County in 1979; over the course of his 36-year tenure with the organization, he served as vice chair and chair and worked on numerous important projects; and

WHEREAS, Harry Rutherford worked to attract national corporations, such as AT&T Wireless, Wal-Mart, and Northrup Grumman, to Russell County, as well as develop local infrastructure, such as a new E911 Call Center, broadband Internet, and new county offices in the Russell County Government Center; and

WHEREAS, Harry Rutherford served as organizing director and president of the New Peoples Bank in Honaker and oversaw local implementation of a federal job training program; along with his wife, Yvonne, he formed an advertising business in 1982 called Spitball, Inc.; and

WHEREAS, Harry Rutherford has safeguarded the lives and property of his fellow residents as a former member of the Honaker Volunteer Fire Department and New Garden Rescue Squad; and

WHEREAS, Harry Rutherford earned numerous awards and accolades for his good work over the years, including the 1991 Russell County Citizen of the Year award, the 2012 and 2015 Economic Developer of the Year awards, and the 1990 and 2015 Lion of the Year awards from the Honaker Lions Club, in which he has held all offices; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Harry Taft Rutherford, Jr., for his service as a member of the Industrial Development Authority of Russell County and his leadership in the community; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Harry Taft Rutherford, Jr., as an expression of the General Assembly’s admiration for his contributions to the residents of Russell County and best wishes for the future.